Outsourced telemarketers for Florida tourism

According to the Times, State Senators were not pleased to find that VisitFlorida outsourced marketing services to a company outside of the state.

VisitFlorida budgeted about $600,000 for one year to USA800, a Kansas City telemarketing firm, to field calls from and send brochures to tourists interested in vacationing in Florida.

A Senate panel overseeing tourism spending discovered the expenditure while reviewing spending by state funded agencies. The Kansas agency won as the lowest bidder while a consideration should have been made to secure a Florida firm.